


Where Do You Think You're Going?

by soft_but_gremlin



Series: Whumptober 2020 [5]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: Master and Apprentice - Claudia Gray
Genre: Animal Attack, Blood and Injury, Chases, Gen, Missions Gone Wrong
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-05
Updated: 2020-10-05
Packaged: 2021-03-07 20:54:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 856
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26840227
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/soft_but_gremlin/pseuds/soft_but_gremlin
Summary: Qui-Gon and Rael are trying to escape. With Qui-Gon's injuries, Rael isn't sure they're going to make it.(Whumptober day 5: On the run/failed escape/rescue)
Relationships: Dooku & Qui-Gon Jinn, Rael Averross & Dooku, Rael Averross & Qui-Gon Jinn
Series: Whumptober 2020 [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1946629
Comments: 2
Kudos: 29





	Where Do You Think You're Going?

“Run Qui-Gon, get going!”

“I’m  _ trying! _ ”

The limping and stumbling was getting worse. If things weren’t so dire, Rael would just drop him into a healing trance and carry him.

If they caught up, though, he needed Qui-Gon awake to fight.

Rael pulled Qui-Gon’s arm over his shoulder and put his arm around Qui-Gon’s waist, taking some of his weight. “So, not to criticize before the mission is over, but usually we try  _ not _ to antagonize our kidnappers when missions go wrong, Padawan.”

“I wasn’t  _ trying  _ to antagonize them. All I  _ said  _ was—”

“I know what you  _ said _ . I’m gonna enroll you in Rodian Culture For Beginners next semester so next time you  _ don’t  _ say that.”

Qui-Gon huffed in irritation. Rael cast out in the Force, trying to find Master Dooku. He couldn’t sense him, but he  _ could  _ sense that the ones chasing them were getting closer. He could also sense several other living beings of lower sentience level, probably akks.

They weren’t going to be able to outrun this. Not with Qui-Gon in the state he was in.

“We’re going to have to fight,” Rael said softly.

“I  _ can’t, _ ” Qui-Gon said. Rael knew that. Qui-Gon was already clinging to him for dear life, barely able to stand.

“You’re going to have to,” Rael said, wishing there was any other option that didn’t involve getting ripped apart by akk hounds. “Draw on the Force for strength.”

“I don’t know how!”

“Yes you do!” Rael snapped. “I  _ know  _ Dooku taught you how. Qui-Gon. Look at me. Take a deep breath. Focus on the Force, not your fear.”

Easy enough to say. Much harder to do when already they could hear akk yaps in the distance. Rael gripped Qui-Gon’s forearms tightly, getting him to focus on him and not the threat getting closer.

“Come on, Qui-Gon, you can do this. It’s just like in the salles.”

Qui-Gon took a deep breath. Rael forced himself not to let his own fear leak outside his shields. The last thing Qui-Gon needed was someone else’s fear distracting him.

The akks crested the hill, their masters behind them. Rael jumped away from Qui-Gon, settling into a defensive stance. Qui-Gon stumbled, but caught himself. He looked half-dead already, but he was settled into an Ataru stance and had his lightsaber drawn. He was breathing calmly, and the Force gently wrapped itself around him. Good.

Rael didn’t have a lightsaber. Rael was going to have to throw down with his bare hands.

“And where do you think  _ you’re  _ going, little Jedi?”

“You will let us go,” Rael said, putting his strongest Force-Suggestion behind the words. “Or you will answer to the Senate!”

For a moment, it almost seemed like the trick would work. But then, their captor smiled. “I don’t think so,” he said. “Get ‘em!”

The akks attacked. Rael used the Force to knock them into each other, but it hardly deterred them. They would tumble and sprawl and then leap right back at him.

Beside him, Qui-Gon screamed. Rael couldn’t help but look over, and his distraction allowed an akk to slip past his defenses. It slammed into his chest, knocking him down. It didn’t bite down on anything but his robes, but he froze as his mind raced, trying to figure out what to do now.

“ _ Enough! _ ”

The Force-Suggestion was powerful enough that even Rael wanted to follow that order, and it wasn’t even directed at him. The akks whimpered and ran off like they were being pursued by a rancor.

Rael let out the breath he was holding, and looked over towards his little brother. Qui-Gon’s robes were in tatters, and there was a concerning amount of blood on them, but he was breathing. Shallow, panicked gasps, but enough to indicate that he was alive.

“Why, Senator Valorum!” their captor said, tone changing dramatically. “How...unexpected to see you!”

Rael looked over. At last, Master Dooku had arrived, with Senator Valorum at his side. They were okay. They would be okay.

“What is the  _ meaning  _ of this?” Senator Valorum said. It was political posturing time. Rael didn’t have the patience for it.

“Master!” he croaked out. “Qui-Gon needs medical attention, immediately!”

“We caught these two trespassers trying to steal state secrets!” their captor said. “We couldn’t have them destabilizing our election!”

Rael stopped focusing on what the politicians were saying as he made his way over to Qui-Gon and started focusing on his injuries. His right arm seemed to bear the brunt of it, and the injury on his leg had probably reopened.

A shadow fell over them, and without thinking, Rael called Qui-Gon’s lightsaber to him.

A hand landed on his shoulder. “You’re safe, my former Padawan,” Master Dooku said. “I have bacta patches. They will have to do until we can get Qui-Gon to a doctor.”

“Master?” Qui-Gon asked.

“I’m here, Padawan,” Dooku said. “You’re safe now.”

“We weren’t stealing, I promise,” Qui-Gon said.

“I know, don’t worry,” Dooku said. “Where are you hurting?”

Rael started to relax as he wrapped bacta-lined bandages around his little brother’s arm. Master Dooku was here. Qui-Gon was going to be okay.


End file.
